The vehicle seat includes an integral child carrier that deploys and unfolds for use as either a child seat or an infant cradle for safely transporting infants while being conveniently stowed when not in use. The child carrier includes a folding seat/cradle that in certain embodiments doubles as both an upright child seat and reclined infant cradle. The folding seat/cradle rides on its own carrier sub-frame that is mounted to the main seat back frame. The carrier sub-frame allows the seat/cradle movement between a stowed position where the folded seat/cradle lies flat within or against the seat back frame and a deployed position where the unfolded seat/cradle extends outward from the seat back frame. The carrier sub-frame includes one or more slide rails, slide blocks, a linkage member and a latch assembly. The seat/cradle includes a seat panel hinged to a back panel that unfold to form a secure seat or cradle from a flat stowed package.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the seat/cradle is in the first position and the seat panel is in the folded position when the child carrier is in the stowed position.
3. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the seat/cradle is in the first position and the seat panel is in the unfolded position when the child carrier is in the deployed position to carry the child in an upright position, the seat/cradle is in the second position and the seat panel is in the unfolded position when the child carrier is in the deployed position to carry the child in a reclined position.
4. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the seat/cradle includes a latch mechanism for locking the back panel in the folded position and the unfolded position.
5. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the seat/cradle includes a latch mechanism for locking the seat/cradle in the first position and the second position.
6. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the seat/cradle has an insert covering the back panel and the seat panel.
7. The vehicle seat of claim 1 and a first safety belt system adapted for securing an adult within the vehicle seat and operatively mounted to the seat base and seat back, the child carrier also includes a second safety belt system adapted for securing a child within the child carrier and operatively mounted to the seat/cradle.
8. The vehicle seat of claim 7 wherein the second safety belt system is operatively independent and separate of the first safety belt system.
9. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the child carrier is spaced over the seat base when the child carrier is in the deployed position.
10. The vehicle seat of claim 9 wherein the seat back has an interior seat back cavity, the child carrier mounted within the seat back cavity for movement to the deployed position forward of the seat back.
11. The vehicle seat of claim 1 wherein the sub-frame extends from the backside of the seat back.
13. The child carrier of claim 12 wherein the seat/cradle is in the first position and the seat panel is in the folded position when the child carrier is in the stowed position.
14. The child carrier of claim 12 wherein the seat/cradle in the first position and the seat panel is in the unfolded position when the child carrier is in the deployed position to carry the child in an upright position, the seat/cradle is in the second position and the seat panel is in the unfolded position when the child carrier is in the deployed position to carry the child in a reclined position.
15. The child carrier of claim 12 wherein the seat/cradle includes a latch mechanism for locking the back panel in the folded position and the unfolded position.
16. The child carrier of claim 12 wherein the seat/cradle includes a latch mechanism for locking the seat/cradle in the first position and the second position.
17. The child carrier of claim 12 wherein the seat/cradle has an insert covering the back panel and the seat panel.
18. The child carrier of claim 12 wherein the child carrier also includes a safety belt system adapted for securing a child within the child carrier and operatively mounted to the seat/cradle.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 30, 2019
May 28, 2024
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